ECIIIALES. G49 



Alliance XLVIII. ECEIALES.—The Eciiial Alliance. 



Diagnosis. — Perigynous ExogenSf with dicldamydeous, monopetalous, symmetrical, or 

 wnsymvietHcal flo%vers ; nucamentaceotis fruit, conmtiny of one-seeded nuts, or of 

 clusters of them separate or separable, and a large embryo with little or no albumen. 



About the close affinity of all the Orders here collected into the same Alliance, no 

 one seems to entertain a doul)t, with three exceptions, to be alluded to presently. 

 They might in fact be in part referred to Solanals and in part to Echials, but their nu't- 

 hke, or deeply- lobed fruit, offers a good mark of distinction. Echials may indeed be 

 regarded as a group so intermediate between Solanals and Bignonials, that part might be 

 referred to the one and part to the other, the regular-flowered Orders joining the fomier, 

 the irregular-flowered the latter. Perhaps it would not be advisable to distinguish the 

 first half from Solanals if it were not for their want of albumen ; but this, although not 

 a universal character among them, yet is so common as to show the important tendency. 



The Orders least certainly stationed are Jasminworts, Salvadorads, and Bmmoniads ; 

 but no better position seems discovei^able for them. The tendency to ii'regularity and 

 the deeply-lobed ovary seem to determine the place of Jasmmworts, especially \vhen 

 the minute quantity of albimien present in their seeds is taken into account ; as to 

 Salvadorads they seem to approach Ehretiads as much as anything ; and Brunoniads 

 may be as well compared with the close-headed Borageworts as with Bellworts or 

 Goodeniads, from both which they deviate so entirel/in the nature of their fruit. 



The true position of the Echial Orders with respect to each other, according to 

 these views, may be represented thus : — 



Oleace<e. — Jasminacese. 

 Salvadoracese. 



Ehretiaceae. — Nolanacene. — Solauacece. 

 Boiaginacenc. — Brunoniaceae. — Goodeniacece. 

 Lamiacese. 

 Verbenaceai. 

 Myoporacepe. 

 Selaginacese. Pedaliacece. 



Natural Orders of Echials. 



Reyularflowered Orders, pasainrj from Solanals. 



Floivers regvlar,\/, unsymmctrical. Stamens 2. Fruit 2-1 049 Jasminacef 



lobed. Stigma naked J ' 



Floicers regular, symmetrical. Stamens 4. Fruit simple.\^c-n giLVADORiCEf 



Stigma naked i ' 



Floivers regular, s7/mmetrical. Stamens 5. Stigma naked. \r,^i i7„„p^,.^^^ 



Nuts 4, cooifluent. Inflorescence arc mate J 



Flowers regidar, symmetrical. Stamens 5. Nuts 5 or \/. \ .-, ..^ jy^j^ ^j.^^^^ ^ 



Stigma naked. Inflorescence straight j " "' 



Floivers regidar, symmetrical. Stamens 5. Nuts 4 ^'' V'\o;^^ Boraginacee 



Stigma naked. Inflorescence circinate J " * 



Flowers regular, symmetrical. Nut solitary. Stigma indu- 1 254 Brunoniaceji: 



siate. {Stamens hypogynous!) . j 



If Irregular-flowered Orders, passing into Bignonials. 



Flowers irregular, unsymmctrical. Nuts 4. Ovule erect . . 255. Lamiace.e. 

 Flowers irregular, unsymmetHcal. Nuts confluent. Ovules erect. 256. Verbenace^. 

 Floivers irregular, icnsymmetrical. Nuts confluent. Ovuks 1 ^^^ Myoporace.e. 

 pendulous. Anthers 2-celled J ' 



Flowers irregular, unsymmctrical. Nuts confluent. ^'^■"^^^l25f3. Selaginace.e. 

 pendulous. Anthers \ -celled J ' 



